The Memmo Príncipe Real — a modern ode to the particular charms of the infectious city that is Lisbon – is opening in mid-October.
The hotel is a dramatic and dignified study in period contrasts, the 41-room hotel of limestone, expansive glass, and natural Oakwood practically levitates above the bustle below.
Architect Samuel Torres de Carvalho was tasked for the new build. The Madrid-born Portuguese architect, also responsible for the group’s previous two projects (Memmo Baleeira, 2007, and Memmo Alfama, 2013,) was ever-mindful of the changing face of Lisbon. Known for his spectacular modernism, Torres de Carvalho created a sleek four-storey geometric building of stark white, and a long, rectangular silhouette.
Unifying the design aesthetics of the three properties, the Memmo design team, coordinated by João Corrêa Nunes and architect Samuel Torres de Carvalho, set out with a challenge to create a new build that would house a mix of modern elements using classic materials and details. Together, they have created a contemporary capsule with an old world soul.
A seductive ground floor of rounded lines is entirely walled on one side by floor-to-ceiling windows and uninterrupted views of the sultry city. Limestone floors throughout this floor’s reception, restaurant, bar, and terrace, pay tribute to traditional Portuguese masonry and lay way for the overall air of vintage LA ease.
The Memmo design team’s ethos of contemporary elegance and custom-crafted simplicity carries through all 41 rooms of the hotel. A serenely neutral palette of taupes, Sage green, and wood hues are sharpened by the same black steelwork seen in the hotel’s exterior structure. Natural oak wood, used extensively in the rooms, features strongly in the form of custom-built cabinetry, walk-in closets, headboards, and sliding separation doors, while darker finishes on the floors root the entire design.
Subtle neutrality continues with the textiles: flax-toned floor-to-ceiling curtains frame the dramatic views of the city. Bathrooms are entirely outfitted in limestone, the sandy-tinted stone deftly straddling the raw earthiness and modern sleekness that defines the hotel. Located in the central, social heart of the hotel with panoramic views of the city, Café Colonial is a celebration of the many global influences represented by Lusophone roots.
Drawing its main influences from Portugal, Brazil, Africa, and Asia, Café Colonial is a neighbourhood fixture drawing in locals with fair-priced favourites, lively conversation, and a convivial spirit of community. Here, fluid, open spaces abound with limestone, oak, and worn velvet materials defining the aesthetic. Black marble tables and green accents contrast a largely neutral landscape where vintage area rugs add both warmth and a division of areas; from sofa lounge seating to classic tabletop dining and high-top bar perches.
